1 killed, 4 injured in racing crash on Hwy. 18 near Tiger Mtn.

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HOBART, Wash. - One person died and four others were injured Saturday as two racing cars lost control and one of them slammed into an oncoming vehicle on Highway 18, the Washington State Patrol reported.

The man who died was in the oncoming vehicle.

State troopers responded to the crash scene, near West Tiger Mountain just east of Issaquah-Hobart Road SE, at about 5:20 p.m. Saturday.

An investigation found that a red 1994 Ford Probe and a green 1992 Toyota Celica were being driven recklessly as they headed west on Highway 18 on Saturday afternoon.

The driver of the Celica, Mine Her, 26, of Pullman tried to pass traffic on the right shoulder when he lost control. His car veered across all lanes of the highway, slamming head-on with a red Honda Pilot that was approaching from the opposite direction in the eastbound lanes.

Two of the cars were destroyed in the crash.

The Ford, driven by Frank J. Willing, 39, of Tacoma also lost control and rolled onto the shoulder, coming to rest on its top.

The driver of the Honda, later identified as Trung D. Ngo, 36, of Covington and his passenger, a 37-year-old Covington woman, were rushed to Harborview Medical Center with serious injuries. The driver of the Honda died of his injuries after 9 p.m.

Her, the driver of the Celica, was seriously injured in the collision with the Honda and taken to Harborview Medical Center.

Willing, the driver of the Ford, sustained less serious injuries and was transported to Valley Medical Center. His 10-year-old son, who was in the car with him, also sustained injuries and was taken to Valley Medical.

The drivers of both racing cars are now under investigation for vehicular assault and vehicular homicide.